Sale of City Property Known as the Humboldt Fire Station,...

Agency:	City of Providence
State:	Rhode Island
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	236220 - Commercial and Institutional Building Construction
Posted Date:	Nov 19, 2025
Due Date:	Dec 1, 2025
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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Procurement #: 50839>

CITY OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Department:

RFP Title: SALE OF CITY PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE HUMBOLDT FIRE STATION, 155

HUMBOLDT AVENUE, PROVIDENCE, RI

Opening Date: 12/01/2025

Addendum #: 3

Issue Date: 11/19/2025

The purpose of this addendum is:

Posting questions and answers, as well as the attendance lists from the 2 open houses.

Providence City Hall

25 Dorrance Street

Providence, RI 02903

November 19, 2025

Questions and Answers

RE: SALE OF CITY PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE HUMBOLDT FIRE STATION, 155

HUMBOLDT AVENUE, PROVIDENCE, RI

1. Will the awarded bidder be allowed reasonable access during the period after the award and

before the purchase and sale is signed?

Yes, this can be arranged.

2. Please confirm that the City does not view this RFP as a “Construction Project”.

Confirmed. Please fill out the response as complete as possible. You can write in “N/A” if a

particular question in unrelated to the transaction.

3. Is there any information on the underground storage tank that was previously used for heating

oil. When was it last in active use, has it been pressure tested, is it currently empty?

There are no environmental reports available for the building, site, or UST. The heating

system was last used during the winter of 2024-2025. It is being prepared for “dry storage”

condition ahead of this winter.

4. Does the buyer's brokerage fee get rolled into the sales price and is paid for by the Seller or

does it get paid separately by Buyer at closing?

No. Buyer and Seller will contract and pay for their own consultants, attorneys, brokers,

etc.

5. Can you provide the names of those who will be reviewing the bids and those who will be

assigning point values to the submissions?

The City Clerk will be the first to receive, open, and tabulate the submissions. Once they

are on record they will be sent to me. The review committee has not yet been determined.

6. Does the city have a preference towards an outcome for use: housing, mixed or commercial?

The City has a general overall preference for surplus properties being utilized for housing

to help mitigate the housing shortage, but it is not required. However it should be

appropriate for the site and neighborhood according to guidance from the comprehensive

plan.

7. Can bids include an escalator clause?

Yes. The City will honor escalator provisions for qualified bids.

8. The property is zoned "R3," can you clarify how many units of housing can be built?

R3 zone allows by-right 3 units + and auxiliary dwelling unit. However, the adaptative re-

use statute new for 2025 allows as many units as will fit so long as the zone's 1 parking

space per unit minimum is met. Please see below:

1202.k.7

7. Adaptive Reuse for the conversion of any commercial or industrial building, including

offices, schools, religious facilities, medical buildings, and malls into residential units or

mixed-use developments shall be permitted subject to the following standards:

a. There are no prohibitions preventing the conversion to residential use by

environmental land use restrictions recorded on the property by the State of Rhode Island

Department of Environmental Management or the United States Environmental

Protection Agency.

b. The conversion shall include the development of at least 50% of the existing gross

floor area into residential units.

c. Non-residential uses may be provided if they are permitted by right or special use in

the zoning district pursuant to Table 12-1.

d. The residential density permitted in the converted structure shall be the maximum

allowed that otherwise meets all standards of minimum housing.

1202.l.7

Adaptive Reuse for the conversion of any commercial or industrial building, including

offices, schools, religious facilities, medical buildings, and malls into residential units or

mixed-use developments shall be permitted subject to the following standards:

a. There are no prohibitions preventing the conversion to residential use by

environmental land use restrictions recorded on the property by the State of Rhode Island

Department of Environmental Management or the United States Environmental

Protection Agency.

b. The conversion shall include the development of at least 50% of the existing gross

floor area into residential units.

c. Non-residential uses may be provided if they are permitted by right or special use in

the zoning district pursuant to Table 12-1.

d. The residential density permitted in the converted structure shall be the maximum

allowed that otherwise meets all standards of minimum housing.

9. Is there a minimum bid requirement?

The City cannot sell the property for less than 90% of the assessed value per section 416 of

the City Charter.

10. I just had a chance to look through the RFP and it’s written as if the construction project

would run though the City of Providence and not the new private owner of the property. It may

be that they include this language in all of their RFP’s, but right now they are listing the WMBE,

Providence contractors, and Prevailing Wages stipulations. As I mentioned on our call, if the

City stays involved after the sale and wants involvement and oversight of the entire process, it

can drive costs, so we should really get clarity on these items. Is there any way to find out now?

This is boilerplate template language. The bid package specific to the property starts on

page 13. That said, if there is a plan to use MWBE as part of the development / contractor

team, that may be taken under consideration, but it is not necessary.

11. Drawings at Submission: For the RFP packet, is it acceptable to include conceptual floor

plans and a preservation approach narrative, with a named preservation architect identified and

formally engaged at the HDC pre-application stage?

It is not necessary to submit permit-ready plans at this point. Concept and narrative will

suffice.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

Sale of City Property Known as the Humboldt Fire Station, 155 Humboldt Avenue, Providence, RI Addendum 3

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